How Do We Provide Care for Your Child?
What is a pediatrician?
Pediatricians are specialists in child and youth health. They are medical doctors who have at least 4 years' additional training after medical school in the care of infants, children, and adolescents.
Canadian pediatricians practice in many different settings:
· Some provide primary care in the community, which means they do preventative care as well as see children and youth who are sick. They are also called community pediatricians, and may work part-time in hospitals.
· Some pediatricians provide what is called "consulting care." They see patients who have been referred to them by other doctors for help in diagnosing and organizing treatment for more serious problems. This is the medical care that Dr. Dempsey provides in Belleville.
· Many pediatricians, particularly sub-specialists, work in hospitals or clinics.
· Still others teach in medical school or do research. We have medical residents and students in our office as part of their medical training.
Does every child in Canada have a pediatrician?
The majority of children see a family physician for their ongoing health care. It's estimated that only between 30% and 40% of children's visits to a doctor for primary health care are to a pediatrician.
Part of this is explained by the fact that there are only about 2,300 practicing pediatricians in all of Canada and, as described above, many of them provide specialty care.
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